A man who burgled a home and then crashed the car he was driving while trying to escape capture has been jailed for two years and 10 months.

James McGinley targeted the house in Bay View near Leysdown last July and used stolen cards to buy sweets and beer before he was arrested when he crashed while trying to escape officers.

He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court last Tuesday.

The court heard that on Saturday, July 28, last year, the owner of the house in Leysdown Road returned home to find a rear window had been smashed and their backdoor was wide open.

As they walked towards the door, McGinley suddenly appeared from inside carrying some of their belongings.

He then swore at the victim and warned them not to approach him before he walked through a gate and onto Cliff View Gardens.

The victim followed him and took photos of him getting into a parked car. They then locked themselves in their home and phoned the police.

Officers attended and located the suspect vehicle travelling in Warden Bay Road, towards The Promenade in Leysdown.

They attempted to box the car in and McGinley unsuccessfully tried to escape by mounting the curb. He then drove in the direction of an officer attempting to arrest him and crashed into a fence.

He then tried to reverse, but an officer managed to reach into the car and pull the keys from the ignition.

McGinley was arrested, along with another person but the charges against that person were later dropped.

As McGinley was pulled from the car, bank cards stolen from the burglary fell to the floor along with receipts for fraudulent purchases he had just carried out.

Inquiries revealed he had used the cards at multiple stores in the area, using them to buy sweets, beer, fizzy drinks and cigarettes.

McGinley was also charged with a burglary that took place in Rectory Lane, Brasted, near Sevenoaks, on May 18, 2018.

On this occasion, a rear window was again smashed open and cash and jewellery was stolen from a master bedroom.

It is believed he was then disturbed by the victim as a conservatory window was smashed open, with the glass falling outwards as opposed to into the property.

Dried blood from a blind provided a DNA match for McGinley.

"It is clear that he presents a considerable danger to innocent members of the public and his sentence is entirely justified..." - Detective Constable Michael Wills

McGinley, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, threats to kill, conspiring to commit fraud by false representation, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and criminal damage. The 44-year-old was sentenced to a total of 34 months.

Detective Constable Michael Wills, the investigating officer for the case, said: "McGinley has clearly shown he has a flagrant disregard for his victims, causing extensive damage to their properties, stealing their possessions and threatening to seriously harm them.

"It is clear that he presents a considerable danger to innocent members of the public and his sentence is entirely justified."

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